The right partnership can lead to great things, according to Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH), one of SA’s top-rated legal firms. The company believes that the partnerships it cherishes and values most are those ‘we have forged through time and experience’.

A full-service corporate and commercial law firm, CDH provides experienced support wherever in the world its clients are active. For those wanting to do business in Africa, the firm combines the resources and expertise of leading business law firms across the continent to offer an authentic knowledge-based and cost-effective service. With first-hand, in-depth experience, its Africa practice offers sector-specific insights and knowledge of regulatory nuances, resulting in an exceptional integrated solution.

Whatever the scope of the transaction, the CDH team – which includes more than 120 partners and in excess of 350 lawyers – offers a range of skills and experience to support a client’s day-to-day business needs and long-term strategies. Clients that operate in the national and international arena find the firm’s structure suits the way they do business. CDH is able to project-manage complex cross-border activity and offers a seamless experience through a single point of contact with a trusted adviser who understands the client’s business and strategic objectives.

Why CDH?
Doing business in Africa offers unique opportunities and challenges, among them the need to understand the cultural, economic and political nuances that exist across the continent. CDH is strongly positioned to serve its clients’ legal needs as its team, with partner law firms, has direct experience acting for governments, state agencies and multinational private organisations across the continent.

Clients will benefit from the firm’s track record and experience with deals across multiple African jurisdictions as well as its practical and commercial approach. Its multidisciplinary team of lawyers is managed from a single point, streamlining the entire process.

CDH can count on its substantial and established alliances with firms on the continent, offering its clients comprehensive experience across a broad range of sectors, including M&A, mining and minerals, telecoms, energy, oil and gas, finance and banking, projects and infrastructure, hospitality and leisure, and arbitration. Ultimately, the client can rely on a dedicated, partner-led team and a cost-effective service at locally competitive billing rates.

Client base
CDH supports the strategic and operational needs of clients by offering innovative, integrated and high-quality legal advice across the full spectrum of legal services, tailored to their requirements. The firm’s wide range of skills enables it to respond to clients’ business operations locally, across Africa or anywhere else in the world.

Existing clients include national and international enterprises, listed and unlisted companies, major brands and multinationals across a wide range of sectors, as well as emerging businesses with industry-leading technologies. Its strong public-sector client base, ranges from government departments at all levels to state-owned enterprises.

Service capability

A complete range of legal services in CDH’s core practice areas is available:

Competition/anti-trust

Corporate and commercial

Dispute resolution

Employment

Environmental

Finance and banking

Pro bono and human rights

Projects and infrastructure

Real estate

Tax and exchange control

Technology and sourcing

Trusts and estates.

The firm’s large scale means its employees have the opportunity to specialise in their particular fields of law. As a result, if a client matter requires broad-based legal services, CDH can draw on the skills and experience of lawyers from across different practice areas who then work as a team to provide a fully integrated and seamless service. Dedicated practice and sector teams comprise lawyers as well as partners, all with a wealth of experience in a wide range of industries.

Specialist sectors

Administrative and public law

Aviation

BEE

Business rescue, restructuring and insolvency

Construction and engineering

Consumer protection

Convergence and new media

Corporate governance

Data protection and privacy

Debt

Capital markets

Education and training

Employee benefits

Energy

Financial services

Franchising

Gaming regulatory

Health and safety

Hospitality and leisure

Immigration

Insurance law

Listings, stock exchange and public documents

M&A

Mining and minerals

Oil and gas

Outsourcing

Pensions

Private equity

Product liability

The Companies Act.

Value-added services
CDH’s partner-led approach means clients can rely on a high level of experience. It avoids a one-size-fits-all outlook, offering pragmatic and commercially focused solutions tailor-made for each matter. Clients can expect efficient and quality delivery.
The firm, which believes in sharing, applying and managing its knowledge assets and empowering clients through continuous skills training, stays in touch with its clients through seminars, newsletters and regular email alerts. Clients are also always kept up to date with regards to proposed legislation and regulation developments.

Corporate responsibility
The firm believes it has a responsibility to look after the communities in which it operates through pro bono and volunteer work. Its dedicated pro bono and human rights practice helps disadvantaged and vulnerable access to justice.

Market recognition
Chambers Global 2018 ranked CDH as one
of SA’s leading law firms, with a number of its partners recognised as leaders in their fields of expertise, and several areas highly ranked.
The Legal 500 EMEA 2018 recommended CDH in various practice areas. CDH partners were also listed as leading lawyers and‘highly recommended’.
In addition, Best Lawyers International 2018listed CDH practitioners as leading lawyers across Cape Town and Johannesburg, and CDH was named Law Firm of the Year in the practice areas of litigation law and real estate law. The year before, the firm’s Sandton and Cape Town offices were rated as top-listed law firms in their respective regions.
Finally, IFLR1000 2017–2018 ranked CDH as Tier 1 for mergers and acquisitions and Tier 2 for banking, capital markets, competition, energy, infrastructure, project finance and mining.